CH 108

When Xiahou Lian said this, Shen Jue understood. Indeed, Xiahou Lian had always eaten together with Lian Xiang and the others, so it didn’t make sense that only he would be affected and the others completely safe. The Autumn Dew’s White had also only had Trilling Tenderness, so this Mid-July could only have come from the residual poison inside him.

The most crucial point was that it wasn’t the middle of the seventh month yet, so it wasn’t time for the poison to take effect at all. However, Xiahou Lian’s sickness was becoming fiercer and fiercer. There was only one explanation: that old man Shi Xin had given him some unknown tea, and not only had it not completely detoxified the poison, it had changed the toxicology.

Shen Jue furrowed his brow and said, “How come your father is trying to cheat his son? He sent you out of Garan, so I originally thought that he had some conscience, but how could he give you the medicine without testing it properly?” After saying this, he lowered his head and tucked the blanket to his waist. “Forget it, stop thinking wildly, I still have a prescription to cure you. See, I gave you the medicine, and aren’t you better now? You just have to worry about drinking the medicine on time and recuperate well, and you’ll surely be even livelier than before.”

Xiahou Lian nodded slightly. He was still weak, as if a slight movement took effort, and his face and lips were dimly pale. Shen Jue’s heart ached upon seeing this, and he put his hand into his palm, rubbing it. “Are your hands and feet still numb?”

“No.” Xiahou Lian returned the hold and smiled. “Young Master, I made you worry. However, it’s fortunate that you’re a man, so there aren’t rules for you to remain a widow. If something happens to me, just find a good person. It’s still better to take a wife, since getting married and having children is proper.”

Shen Jue had originally been hurt, but he couldn’t help but be angered by Xiahou Lian’s words that he saw black. He snapped, “Xiahou Lian, you really should be a woman. The crown prince of Empress Zhenshun from the past dynasty died prematurely, so she took the initiative to help the emperor take concubines and selected ten young girls to enter the palace at once. Do you want to follow her example and gain the title of Zhenshun?”

Xiahou Lian scratched his head. “That’s not…”

Shen Jue glared at him. “I treated you tenderly but you don’t want it, you just had to make me angry, looking for a scolding. Tomorrow, I’ll take two girls into the house and specially shake them in front of you, and let’s see if you’re happy or what.”

Xiahou Lian hastily stroked his back to calm him down. “I was just talking without thinking, don’t be angry.”

Shen Jue was so angry he was speechless, and he turned his head away, ignoring him.

It was silent for a time. Wind burrowed in from outside the moon-shaped window, blowing the gauze to make wild clatters. Xiahou Lian was still a little dazed. Before when he had seen his hands covered in blood, he had really thought that he was going to see King Yama, and he had instantly had a feeling of his heart being as still as water and that everything had come to an end. However, being able to die in Shen Jue’s arms, the best home for him, he hadn’t regretted anything at all. Thinking about this, he recalled last night’s matters. In the lamp shadows, Shen Jue had kissed him fiercely, as if in a dream, and he actually couldn’t tell whether it had been real or a dying hallucination.

Outside, the pale light of morning shone in, and the room became bright. Shen Jue was sitting in front of him. His black and shiny hair hadn’t been brushed, so it draped down, meandering on his shoulders. Uneven tips of his hair landed on the backs of his hands, and he stroked them lightly, as if they were scratching the tip of his heart. Xiahou Lian faintly caught the tips and leaned over as if possessed by a ghost. He asked softly, “Young Master, can I kiss you?”

Shen Jue was slightly stunned, and he turned to look at him. He was very close, so Shen Jue could see the thin redness that wasn’t too clear on his wheat-colored cheeks.

Shen Jue looked at him quietly for a while and didn’t say anything, slowly closing his eyes. Xiahou Lian tucked his long hair behind his ear, revealing that cold-white cheek. Facing the morning sunlight, it had a layer of shining white radiance coated on, like flawless white jade.

How can such a good person like me? Xiahou Lian thought. He felt that the gods must have been dizzy to make such a great blessing land on his head.

However, Shen Jue became impatient and opened his eyes, asking, “Are you going to kiss me or not?”

“I’ll kiss you, I’ll kiss you!” Xiahou Lian hastily said.

Shen Jue closed his eyes again, and although he had an impatient expression, the arc of his lips divulged his feelings. A few swallows flew past outside the window, their black silhouettes sweeping past the tops of their heads. In those shadows, Xiahou Lian leaned forward and planted a kiss on Shen Jue’s cheek.

His kiss wasn’t heavy, yet it contained a real warmth, and Shen Jue indeed felt it; it was like a gentle sear that he would remember for the rest of his life. He opened his eyes and smiled, and when his fluid glance wandered, it had a flavor as brilliant as spring. Xiahou Lian also lowered his head and smiled, his features unfolding, the blade melting into a joyful river.

Suddenly, there was a clatter outside the floor-to-ceiling screen. Their smiles froze as they turned their heads and saw Lian Xiang and Shen Wenxing standing there, dumbstruck like wooden chickens, the medicinal soup spilled on the ground below their feet. Shen Wenxing had already noticed this, as he followed Shen Jue every day, so he knew a little that Shen Jue had feelings for Xiahou Lian. Although, this was his godfather’s private matter, so he didn’t dare to ask further. However, Lian Xiang hadn’t known at all and had only thought that Shen Jue and Xiahou Lian were as close as brothers.

The impact of this sight was really too great, so whether they knew or didn’t know, the two of them were instantly stunned when they saw this. It was still Shen Wenxing who was the first to react, and when he saw that his godfather’s expression wasn’t very good, he hastily pulled Lian Xiang out to bring another bowl of medicinal soup, telling the doctors to come in and take Xiahou Lian’s pulse where they were at it. 

The doctors flipped over his eyelids and checked his tongue again. They said that he was getting better and told Xiahou Lian to eat his medicine on time and not to overwork himself lately. Seeing that Xiahou Lian had a slight runny nose, they also prescribed a prescription for paratyphoid fever and replaced the salve on his forehead before bowing and leaving.

After Shen Wenxing sent over the medicinal soup again, Shen Jue used a silver spoon to feed Xiahou Lian scoop by scoop. The soup was extremely bitter, so every spoonful was tormenting, and he would rather tilt his neck back and drink all of it in one go. However, Shen Jue was very happy when he fed him, so Xiahou Lian tolerated it and let him feed him spoon by spoon.

Because of Xiahou Lian’s sickness, Shen Jue hadn’t attended the morning imperial court session. However, he couldn’t delay revising orders. Whether it was Garan or matters about Liaodong barbarians, they were waiting for him to go and discuss. Since there was nothing seriously wrong with Xiahou Lian, he had to return to the palace. However, they had just confessed their feelings and hadn’t had time to properly pour out their hearts to each other. He still wanted to know how Xiahou Lian had come to like him, how much he liked him, and whether he was the same as him: once they set their minds on each other, they would never look back for the rest of their lives.

However, he couldn’t beat the miscellaneous official businesses in the end, so he sighed helplessly. Shen Jue turned around and got the Bodhi beads on the small kang table, wrapping it around Xiahou Lian’s hand. “Stay at home, you’re not allowed to go out and you’re not allowed to strike iron, rest well.”

Xiahou Lian was a little hesitant. “Actually, I’m already well, I’ll go to the yamen to work in the afternoon. Shiqi still hasn’t been found and the matters with Garan haven’t been settled yet, I…”

“Rest, how can a sick person do any work? There’s so many people in the Eastern Depot, they won’t miss you. These past few days, I’ve had people check all of the cellars and darkrooms in the city. As long as Shiqi hasn’t been sent out of the city, there will be results on whether he is dead or alive within the next few days,” Shen Jue said.

When entering and exiting the city now, one had to go through checks by the Five City Warden Department, and even the lids of coffins at funerals had to be pried open to ensure that there was a dead body lying inside. There was no movement at the Five City Warden Department, so Shiqi should still be in the capital. Xiahou Lian sighed. “Okay, but if there’s news then tell me immediately.”

“Okay. Eat your medicine on time, I’ll leave Shen Wenxing here to look after you.”

Xiahou Lian felt helpless. “I’m not a child, and besides, isn’t Lian Xiang here?”

Speaking of Lian Xiang, Shen Jue had a slight headache. “Have a talk with Lian Xiang, and if you can’t get through to her, I’ll come back to talk to her tonight.”

Xiahou Lian nodded.

Shen Jue stood up and took a few steps, but when he got to the landscape folding screen, he came back and hugged Xiahou Lian tightly. “You’re mine, right?”

Xiahou Lian smiled. “I’m yours, I’m all yours.”

Only then was Shen Jue satisfied. He changed into his official uniform behind the folding screen, had Xiahou Lian brush his hair and put on his hairnet for him, and finally adjusted his black gauze hat facing the mirror. Xiahou Lian was used to making little toys like kites and lanterns, so his hair-brushing skills were also not bad; each strand had been tucked in firmly and flawlessly. Looking in the diamond-patterned bronze mirror, they really seemed like husband and wife. 

Shen Jue returned to the palace, and Shen Wenxing came in to take away the soup bowl. Xiahou Lian was sitting outside by the crescent table and drinking water, so when Shen Wenxing saw him, he came forward and bowed respectfully, calling, “Mother.”

All of the water in Xiahou Lian’s throat that he hadn’t had enough time to swallow sprayed onto Shen Wenxing’s face. Shen Wenxing wiped his face, flung his sleeve, and said, “Why did you spit it out?”

“What did you just call me?” Xiahou Lian suspected that he had heard incorrectly.

“Mother.” Shen Wenxing used a rag to wipe the table. “You’re my godfather’s partner now, so aren’t you my mother?” He thought for a moment and said, “It seems a little off, but calling your father is also wrong, wouldn’t having two fathers be messy?”

This guy was no more than five years younger than Shen Jue, so recognizing Shen Jue as his father was already messy enough. Xiahou Lian sat on the alcove bed and took off his boots. “Enough, call me what you used to call me.”

Just when he was about to lie down and sleep again, Lian Xiang walked inside and called, “Xiao Lian.”

He was stunned, but when he saw Lian Xiang standing behind the door curtain, he hastily let her inside. As he scrambled to get down from the footrest and took a seat on the arhat bed, Shen Wenxing moved a stool for Lian Xiang to sit on. Curls of white smoke drifted out of the incense on the kang table, and the jade bells by the window jingled. Xiahou Lian and Lian Xiang stared at each other for a while, neither of them speaking. Silence filled the room, extremely awkward.

Lian Xiang was the oldest in the manor, so when Shen Jue wasn’t home, Lian Xiang took care of matters of all sizes. In these many years, she had worked hard for Shen Jue, so he had to let her know about this matter of Shen Jue and him. Xiahou Lian was very clumsy of speech, so he still hadn’t thought of how to open, and he hadn’t expected that Lian Xiang would already have come looking for him.

They couldn’t keep being awkward like this, so Xiahou Lian coughed lightly and was just about to speak, but Lian Xiang spoke first. She took out a long string of keys from her sleeve and smiled. “Ah, I actually should’ve figured this out a long time ago. The young master eagerly looked for you for so long, how could he only see you as a friend? You don’t know that when he hadn’t found you yet, the young master would often go to the courtyard your mother left for you and stare blankly. Sometimes, he would sit in the corridor, and he would sit for hours at a time. If he didn’t have feelings for you, why would he have thought of you from morning to night?”

Xiahou Lian was a little blank, and he stammered as he asked, “The young master… had feelings for me at that time?”

Lian Xiang sighed deeply. “And at the time, do you remember when you were caught by that person surnamed Liu in Liuzhou, you were taken to be beheaded. This news spread to the capital, and the young master stopped caring about anything and rode a horse out of the capital. Only later did I find out that he had gone to Liuzhou to save you. From the capital to Liuzhou, he ran for seventeen days, and I don’t know how many horses died.”

“Not only that,” Shen Wenxing tsked on the side, “but Old Scoundrel Wei blamed my godfather because he had left without permission. My godfather knelt from noon till dusk in order to keep this title of governor.”

Xiahou Lian looked at the ground blankly, and his nose was slowly filled with an indescribable sourness. Situations from many years ago appeared distinctly before his eyes. He still remembered when he had charged into the deathtrap, and amid the fight, that man in black clothes and a mask had shot out of the turbulence like a sharp arrow, reaching out his pale and icy hand to him. At the time, he still hadn’t dared to believe it, and only later did he find out that it had been Shen Jue. However, he had never known how big of a price Shen Jue had paid in order to save him.

What virtue and ability did he have to obtain such affection from Shen Jue?

A string of brass keys was put into his line of sight. He looked up and saw Lian Xiang smiling with tears in her eyes. “You child, you’ve jumped around since childhood. Who knows what the young master was thinking, taking a liking to a monkey like you. Forget it, the young master has suffered too much, so as long as his wishes are fulfilled, my heart is also happy. These are the wife’s keys, I’ll give them to you from today onward.”

Xiahou Lian shook his head and pushed the keys back. “My brain is stupid, so I can’t do these jobs. Lian Xiang-jie, you should still take care of them.” He pulled Shen Wenxing over and pressed him to sit down on a stool. “Before, when he told me about matters from the past, he only picked the pointless things to say. Only today when you two said this did I know how much he hid from me. It happens that I have nothing to do today. Lian Xiang-jie, Eunuch Xiao Shen, please tell me exactly how much the young master experienced in those years? How much he suffered, how many hardships he faced, I want to know it all.”